Permanent wave pad



Sept, 19, 1939. J c, BROWN 2,173,269

PERMANENT WAVE PAD Filed April 29, 1938 lNVENTOR JAMES '6'. BROWN 5' 5 ATT RNEY NETED STATES Fi 'lCE PERMANENT WAVE PAD James C. Brown, Mount Vernon, N. Y., assignor to E. Frederics, llnc., poration of New York Application April 29,

10 Claims.

The invention relates to pads for use in the permanent waving of hair. It has particular reference to improvements in pads of the type in which a sheet of metal foil, such as aluminum foil,

plying a wave solution or vapor to the hair.

A common form of permanent wave pad con-- sists of an absorbent pad with a sheet of metal foil attached to it. A sheet of moisture-resistant paper, such as parchment paper, generally is arranged between the absorbent pad and the metal foil. The absorbent pad is designed to be moistened with a suitable wave solution and then wrapped around a tress of hair coiled on a rod. The foil, in turn, is wrapped around the pad, after which a heat applicator is clamped around the wrapped coil. The use of pads such as these presents quite a serious problem in temperature control. The wave lotion is rapidly driven out of the and the temperature of the dry pad becomes higher is desirable.

Various expedients have been tried in an effort to control the temperature and thus to prevent the subjecting of the hair to an intense dry heat.

example, it has been proposed to incorporate in the absorbent pad itself a heat resistant material which, after the moisture has been driven off, will protect the strand of hair from burning. of doubtful value, and in any event offers no solution to the problem of keeping the hair moist and protecting it against intense dry heat.

It also has been attempted to control the heat by means of thermostats and various other thermal controls. These attempts have been unsuccessful on the Whole because the control obtainable in practice is not sufficiently critical. This is particularly true when the wave solution co tains volatile constituents such as ammonium hydroxide. Ordinarily the water vapor and am.- 40 in produced on heating willnot amount to than a few cubic centimeters. The total cunt of ammonia in a pad of the type descried may be only about 0.07 gram. Thus it will be seen that unless the heat be controlled within very narrow limits, the gas will be driven off too quickly and its effectiveness in the Waving process will be impaired.

It is an object of my invention to provide an n is employed in combination with means for ap- New York, N. Y., a cor- 1933, Serial No. 204,979

to moist heat during a more substantial portion of the waving operation.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

I have found that when a sheet of asbestos or similar heat insulating material is used in juxtaposition with a sheet of metal foil in a pad which comprises an absorbent element arranged to be enclosed by the composite foil-asbestos, the resulting construction possesses advantages over those heretofore known, particularly from the standpoint of heat control. The metal foil assures uniform distribution of heat over the entire area of the wrapping, and the asbestos layer controls the transmission of that heat to the absorbent layer containing the wave solution. I prefer to employ a moisture-resistant layer of parchment paper or the like between the insulating and absorbent layers, as the insulating material is not intended to function as a part of the absorbent layer, but rather as a dry insulating layer. In constructions which bring the absorbent layer into proximity with the foil without an effective insulating layer between them, the moisture is driven off too rapidly from the portion of the absorbent layer contiguous to the foil. I have found that it is especially advantageous to arrange the insulating asbestos layer between the conducting sheet of foil and the absorbent layer.

In the drawing I have shown a number of embodiments of the invention, Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive representing these alternative forms in plan view, looking at the absorbent side of the pads. In these views the successive layers are cut back or turned up to show the way in which the pad's are built up.

Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive are transverse cross-sectional views taken as indicated at 55, 5--6, l l, and 88 respectively in Figs. 1 to {i inclusive. The scale of the cross-sectional views is larger than that of the plan views.

The form of pad shown in Figs. 1 and 5 comprises a foundation sheet of thin metal foil I, such as aluminum foil, to whichis adhesively secured a sheet of asbestos. or equivalent insulating material 2. A sheet of pulp paper or other absorbent material 3 is adhesively secured to the insulating sheet 2. I prefer to make the absorbent layer 3 of pulp paper because of its excellent absorbent properties and low cost aliough it will be understood that other types of absorbent material may be employed in its place. This paper may be provided with compressed portions i dividing the absorbent layer into ridged sections. In the use of this form of pad. the absorbent layer 3 is moistened with a suitable wave lotion, or if previously impregnated with a suitable compound, it may simply be moistened with water. The pad is then wrapped around the tress of hair coiled on a rod or other core with the foil layer on the outside. The wrapped tress is then inserted in a heater or a heated clamp applied to the wrapping as may be desired.

Figs. 2 and 6 illustrates a modified form of pad in which the layer of asbestos or other insulating material 2 is adhesively secured to the metal foil I as in the embodiment described above. In this modified form the absorbent layer 3 of pulp paper or the like is Wrapped in a gauze envelope 5. I prefer to stitch the absorbent layer 3 in the gauze envelope 5, and for this purpose there may be provided parallel rows of stitching 6. The upper edge of the gauze envelope as viewed in Figs. 2 and 6 preferably extends beyond the edge of the absorbent layer and this extending edge of the gauze is stitched to the cover comprising the aforesaid foil-asbestos composite so as to provide a hinge between the absorbent part of the pad and the cover at I. This permits the pad to be gripped by the cover while it is being moistened as by dipping it into the wave lotion. I prefer to provide a moisture-impervious or moisture-resistant sheet 8 which in the embodiment illustrated is stitched in place between the cover and the absorbent pad. This may consist of a parchment paper or the like. This assists in preventing the lotion from penetrating the insulating layer and reaching the foil where it would be too rapidly evaporated and thus prevented from performing its necessary function in the waving operation.

The embodiment illustrated in Figs. 3 and 7 is similar in construction to that described in the preceding paragraph. In this form, however, the asbestos layer or other insulating layer 2 is not adhesively secured to the foil sheet I. It will be understood that the foil may be paper-backed if desired and may be embossed and provided with printed matter or other decorative or advertising matter. It will also be understood that the layer of parchment paper 8 or other moisture-resistant layer may extend beyond the lateral edges of the foil and asbestos layers. This provides edge portions which can be clipped over the edges of the absorbent pad to more effectively retain the moisture.

In Figs. 4 and 8 I have shown the application of my invention to the chemical type of pad in which a heat-producing chemical 9 such as calcium oxide is enclosed within an envelope of metal foil ID. This envelope is provided with a series of perforations II permitting the entry of moisture to produce the desired exothermic reaction which is to supply the heat for the waving operation. A sheet I2 of asbestos or other insulating material is attached to one edge of the envelope IE! preferably by an extension I3 which may be adhesively secured to the back of the envelope. When so attached, the sheet I2 folds down into juxtaposed relationship with the sheet of foil which constitutes the front of the envelope. The envelope I encloses the heat-producing chemical, as previously stated, and thus its back and edge portions provide means for retaining the heat-producing compound in association with the sheet of foil which constitutes the front of the envelope. In use, moisture is applied to the pad in any convenient manner so that it will enter the perforations I I and react with the compound 9 to produce heat. The heat will be uniformly distributed over the surface of the pad by means of the conducting layer of metal foil but the transmission of this heat to the called tress will be controlled by the insulating sheet I2. The asbestos sheet likewise prevents the conducting metal surface from coming into direct contact with any part of the wave lotion whether the lotion be applied directly to the hair or by means of an absorbent pad used in conjunction with the pad shown in Figs. 4 and 8. That portion of the moisture which may be applied to the asbestos sheet I2 in moistening the heat-producing compound will be driven off comparatively rapidly but the more volatile constituents of the wave lotion are prevented from being driven 01f too quickly by reason of the interposed sheet of asbestos.

It will be seen that by my invention I have provided a pad construction which is simple and inexpensive to fabricate, yet which makes it possible to maintain a more uniform temperature throughout the heating period than is feasible with pad constructions heretofore known. The moisture in the absorbent part of the pad is conserved so that the hair will be subjected to moist heat during a substantial portion of the heating period. Thus the small amount of available steam or ammonia, or other wave agent, is dissipated more uniformly and over a longer period of time. The invention is especially valuable as applied to waving operations in which a Wave lotion comprising highly volatile constituents is employed.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention of excluding such equivalents of the invention set forth, or of portions thereof, as fall within the purview of the claims.

I claim:

1. A permanent wave pad comprising a sheet of metallic foil, and a sheet of heat-resistant material secured to the foil and arranged to lie in direct contact with the foil sheet.

2. A permanent wave pad comprising a sheet of metallic foil, and a sheet of asbestos secured to the foil and arranged to lie in direct contact with the foil sheet.

3. A permanent wave pad comprising a sheet of metallic foil, a sheet of asbestos, a sheet of moisture-resistant material, and an absorbent element, the asbestos and moisture-resistant material arranged to separate the foil from the absorbent element, and the moisture-resistant material arranged to separate the asbestos sheet from the absorbent element.

4. A permanent wave pad comprising a sheet of metallic foil, a sheet of asbestos adhesively secured directly thereto, and an absorbent element adhesively secured to the asbestos sheet.

5. A permanent wave pad comprising a sheet of metallic foil, a sheet of asbestos secured direct- 1y thereagainst, and a sheet of pulp paper attached to the asbestos sheet, the asbestos sheet arranged to separate the foil sheet and absorbent paper.

6. A permanent wave pad comprising a sheet of metallic foil, a sheet of asbestos, a sheet of parchment paper, and an absorbent element, the three sheets and the absorbent element secured together with the asbestos sheet arranged to separate the foil from the parchment paper and the parchment paper arranged to separate the asbestos sheet from the absorbent element.

'7. A permanent wave pad comprising a sheet of metallic foil, a sheet of asbestos, a sheet of moisture-resistant material, and an absorbent element, the foil and asbestos sheets and the sheet of moisture-resistant material secured together with the asbestos sheet separating the foil from the moisture-resistant sheet, the absorbent element comprising a pulp paper enclosed in gauze, the absorbent element secured along one edge to the back of the composite sheet formed by the foil, asbestos, and moisture-resistant material.

8. A permanent wave pad comprising a sheet of metallic foil, a sheet of asbestos, a sheet of parchment paper, and an absorbent element comprising pulp paper enclosed on two sides by gauze, the three sheets and the absorbent element secured together adjacent one edge with the asbestos sheet arranged to separate the foil from the parchment paper, and the parchment paper arranged to separate the asbestos sheet from the absorbent element.

9. A permanent wave pad comprising a sheet of metallic foil, a sheet of heat-resistant material secured to the foil and arranged to lie in juxtaposed relationship thereto to separate the foil from a source of wave lotion, and means for retaining a heat-producing componud in association with the sheet of metallic foil.

10. A permanent wave pad comprising a metallic foil envelope, and a sheet of heat-resistant material secured to the envelope and arranged to lie in direct contact with one side thereof, said side of the envelope being perforated.

JAMES C. BROWN. 

